Cloister and the Hearth
Charles Reade
Play
Length 36 h 17 min
Chapters 106
First published 1861
'The Cloister and the Hearth', by Charles Reade, was published in 1861. It's a long and winding picaresque novel set in 15th century Europe, telling the story of the love between Gerard Eliason, an artist turned priest, and Margaret Brandt, the daughter of a poor scholar, and reflects the conflict between family and church which overshadowed the lives of so many in medieval times. Its uniqueness lies in the way Reade, having meticulously researched his subject and the period, gives us insights more detailed than any other writer of fiction into medieval lifestyles and morals, combined with vivid descriptions of his characters – many based on real historical figures – and locations. He deliberately strays towards a medieval writing style, with many an archaic word to tantalise the reader or listener (an education in itself). Until well into the twentieth century, ‘The Cloister and the Hearth’ was considered one of the greatest novels in the English language. Its popularity may have faded, but those who have read it will tell you of the enduring power of Reade’s tour de force. A revival is long overdue, and is deserved: it’s an exceptional book. - Summary by Tom Denholm
Chapters
1
Chapter 1 Read by Tom Denholm 36:08
2
Chapter 2 Read by Tom Denholm 36:45
3
Chapter 3 Read by Tom Denholm 25:43
4
Chapter 4 Read by Tom Denholm 14:34
5
Chapter 5 Read by Tom Denholm 3:55
6
Chapter 6 Read by Tom Denholm 8:37
7
Chapter 7 Read by Tom Denholm 23:10
8
Chapter 8 Read by Tom Denholm 14:38
9
Chapter 9 Read by Tom Denholm 25:53
10
Chapter 10 Read by Tom Denholm 31:37
11
Chapter 11 Read by Tom Denholm 13:20
12
Chapter 12 Read by Tom Denholm 11:37
13
Chapter 13 Read by Tom Denholm 9:05
14
Chapter 14 Read by Tom Denholm 11:51
15
Chapter 15 Read by Tom Denholm 6:01
16
Chapter 16 Read by Tom Denholm 3:19
17
Chapter 17 Read by Tom Denholm 10:29
18
Chapter 18 Read by Tom Denholm 2:38
19
Chapter 19 Read by Tom Denholm 15:50
20
Chapter 20 Read by Tom Denholm 17:03
21
Chapter 21 Read by Tom Denholm 5:02
22
Chapter 22 Read by Tom Denholm 3:55
23
Chapter 23 Read by Tom Denholm 12:48
24
Chapter 24, Part 1 Read by Tom Denholm 43:20
25
Chapter 24, Part 2 Read by Tom Denholm 43:40
26
Chapter 25 Read by Tom Denholm 35:01
27
Chapter 26 Read by Tom Denholm 34:37
28
Chapter 27 Read by Tom Denholm 18:46
29
Chapter 28 Read by Tom Denholm 14:41
30
Chapter 29 Read by Tom Denholm 3:02
31
Chapter 30 Read by Tom Denholm 16:32
32
Chapter 31 Read by Tom Denholm 10:05
33
Chapter 32 Read by Tom Denholm 16:23
34
Chapter 33, Part 1 Read by Tom Denholm 45:19
35
Chapter 33, Part 2 Read by Tom Denholm 40:50
36
Chapter 34 Read by Tom Denholm 20:06
37
Chapter 35 Read by Tom Denholm 4:10
38
Chapter 36 Read by Tom Denholm 38:04
39
Chapter 37, Part 1 Read by Tom Denholm 39:27
40
Chapter 37, Part 2 Read by Tom Denholm 38:42
41
Chapter 38 Read by Tom Denholm 29:54
42
Chapter 39 Read by Tom Denholm 21:04
43
Chapter 40 Read by Tom Denholm 37:31
44
Chapter 41 Read by Tom Denholm 8:25
45
Chapter 42 Read by Tom Denholm 31:02
46
Chapter 43 Read by Tom Denholm 11:15
47
Chapter 44 Read by Tom Denholm 6:08
48
Chapter 45 Read by Tom Denholm 7:06
49
Chapter 46 Read by Tom Denholm 33:54
50
Chapter 47 Read by Tom Denholm 26:52
51
Chapter 48 Read by Tom Denholm 6:08
52
Chapter 49 Read by Tom Denholm 15:32
53
Chapter 50 Read by Tom Denholm 47:42
54
Chapter 51 Read by Tom Denholm 7:53
55
Chapter 52 Read by Tom Denholm 10:19
56
Chapter 53, Part 1 Read by Tom Denholm 49:32
57
Chapter 53, Part 2 Read by Tom Denholm 46:46
58
Chapter 53, Part 3 Read by Tom Denholm 47:41
59
Chapter 54 Read by Tom Denholm 45:24
60
Chapter 55 Read by Tom Denholm 25:51
61
Chapter 56 Read by Tom Denholm 22:56
62
Chapter 57 Read by Tom Denholm 7:11
63
Chapter 58 Read by Tom Denholm 25:41
64
Chapter 59 Read by Tom Denholm 17:16
65
Chapter 60 Read by Tom Denholm 47:55
66
Chapter 61 Read by Tom Denholm 44:24
67
Chapter 62 Read by Tom Denholm 8:39
68
Chapter 63 Read by Tom Denholm 24:33
69
Chapter 64 Read by Tom Denholm 8:25
70
Chapter 65 Read by Tom Denholm 4:31
71
Chapter 66 Read by Tom Denholm 8:20
72
Chapter 67 Read by Tom Denholm 4:16
73
Chapter 68 Read by Tom Denholm 5:57
74
Chapter 69 Read by Tom Denholm 12:01
75
Chapter 70 Read by Tom Denholm 6:46
76
Chapter 71 Read by Tom Denholm 5:07
77
Chapter 72 Read by Tom Denholm 49:01
78
Chapter 73 Read by Tom Denholm 11:42
79
Chapter 74 Read by Tom Denholm 33:42
80
Chapter 75 Read by Tom Denholm 9:42
81
Chapter 76 Read by Tom Denholm 13:47
82
Chapter 77 Read by Tom Denholm 16:34
83
Chapter 78 Read by Tom Denholm 15:44
84
Chapter 79 Read by Tom Denholm 8:32
85
Chapter 80 Read by Tom Denholm 9:06
86
Chapter 81 Read by Tom Denholm 5:30
87
Chapter 82 Read by Tom Denholm 32:39
88
Chapter 83 Read by Tom Denholm 14:49
89
Chapter 84 Read by Tom Denholm 7:41
90
Chapter 85 Read by Tom Denholm 9:10
91
Chapter 86 Read by Tom Denholm 9:29
92
Chapter 87 Read by Tom Denholm 17:41
93
Chapter 88 Read by Tom Denholm 10:56
94
Chapter 89 Read by Tom Denholm 10:49
95
Chapter 90 Read by Tom Denholm 12:24
96
Chapter 91 Read by Tom Denholm 54:45
97
Chapter 92 Read by Tom Denholm 28:17
98
Chapter 93 Read by Tom Denholm 31:56
99
Chapter 94 Read by Tom Denholm 35:25
100
Chapter 95 Read by Tom Denholm 34:49
101
Chapter 96, Part 1 Read by Tom Denholm 41:23
102
Chapter 96, Part 2 Read by Tom Denholm 46:24
103
Chapter 97 Read by Tom Denholm 4:17
104
Chapter 98 Read by Tom Denholm 2:20
105
Chapter 99 Read by Tom Denholm 15:59
106
Chapter 100 Read by Tom Denholm 5:25
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens gutenberg.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
